Under the leadership of Bahrain’s Ayouni dynasty, eastern Arabia – including Bahrain, Qatif and Al-Hasa – had been united into a ‘greater Bahrain’ region, loyal to the Caliphate and allies of the Sunni Seljuk rulers in Iraq.
However, gradually the different segments of this greater Bahrain empire became divided under separate branches of the Ayouni family, which hailed from the Abd-Al-Qays tribe.
Mohammed Bin-Ahmed Al Ayouni
The great Ayouni ruler Mohammed Bin-Ahmed Al Ayouni, who ruled from 1187 to 1206 AH, succeeded in reuniting this greater Bahrain and restoring its wealth and prestige.
The Bedouin tribes of central Arabia feared the new Amir and for the first time in many decades the Ayounis brought peace and stability to much of eastern and central Arabia, stretching from the Syrian desert, to Basra and Oman.
The Abbasid Caliph Al-Nasr-li-Dinallah was greatly impressed by Amir Mohammed Bin-Ahmed’s success and designated to him the responsibility for protecting the pilgrimage routes to Mecca. As a result, these pilgrimage routes experienced greater security than they had for many years.
Attacks against pilgrims to Mecca
However, in 1192 the tribe of Dahmash Bin-Sanad attacked the Haj routes and stole from the pilgrims.
When the Caliph heard this, he contacted Mohammed Bin-Ahmed, requesting assistance in restoring the peace.
In response, Amir Mohammed led a substantial force from Bahrain. They first marched north, where they linked up with a force of Iraqis from the Banu Munafiq tribe, provided by the Caliph. Many tribes joined the battle on both sides, but eventually Dahmash was defeated.
All the tribes that had supported Dahmash acknowledged the superiority of the ruler of Bahrain. But Dahmash himself refused to admit defeat and sought refuge near the Tomb of Ali in Mashhad in Persia.
Amir Mohammed laid siege to Mashhad and then requested further instructions from the Caliph. The Caliph summoned Dahmash who went and sought forgiveness and received a pardon from the Caliph. Peace once again returned to Arabia and the pilgrimage routes.
Mohammed Bin-Ahmed ruled Bahrain and eastern Arabia for nearly 20 years, until Ghureir Bin-al-Hassan, from another branch of the Ayouni family; and Rashid Bin-Umayra from the Banu-al-Amir tribe, plotted against him and murdered Amir Mohammed Bin-Ahmed, while he was travelling by road with just a few companions. They seized Qatif and Bahrain.
The sons of the murdered Amir sought the Caliph’s assistance in avenging their father’s death and recapturing Bahrain. The fighting that followed once again divided the Ayouni empire and impoverished Bahrain; marking the beginning of the slow decline of the Ayouni dynasty.
Few historical records document the Ayouni period of Bahraini history. Much of we know comes from the epic political tales woven within the poetry of the great Bahraini poet, Ibn-al-Muqarrib.
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